When Bob Met Rory
by Jennyferr
Summary: Lame title, but oh well. Read the Author's note and much will be explained. This takes place roughly four years after Rory graduated from college. Bob isn't the real name of Rory's future mate. Please read and review.
1. New Beginnings

A/N: Okay this is a bory fanfic. Which is about "Bob" and Rory. "Bob" is the name that we, on came up with for Rory's future mate she hasn't met yet, but will end up with in the future. Any questions about that just reply or message. I've done a lot of research to figure out the "Bob" character so please respect him. This is pretty Au, so just go with it. I didn't want to explain Rory's situation right off the bat so you have to actually do some reading (Shock! I know) to figure it out. Message me if you need to. This first chapter is pretty short so just roll with it, and I promise the next one will be much better.

It was eight in the morning and Rory was lying in her bed twisting strands of hair, she had barely slept. She was thinking about how she had spent the last eight years of her life working to get somewhere, and she finally had. Of course she wasn't kidding herself. She was still working and trying to earn greater status in the Journalism world, but this was what she had hoped for since basically elementary school. Traveling to Iran and being a Foreign Correspondent, it seemed to good to be true, like any minute she'd be in for a rude awakening…

Paul Anka leaped on top of Rory, liking her face and laying down.

"Sorry, Hun. He just wanted to come wake you." Her mother, Lorelai, said as she entered the room and sat on the side of the bed.

Rory sat up, or at least tried to under the weight of the enormous Sheep dog.

"Well I could never turn that beautiful face away." She gripped the sides of his face and kissed him on the nose.

"Oh, why thank you!" Lorelai said in her southern belle accent. She looked at her big girl all grown-up sitting before her and let the happy smile fade from her face and looked at Rory with a cocked head and a sadder smile.

"Stop it, mom." Rory looked at her mom begging her not to get too sappy.

"This is the last time we'll sit on your bed together."

"We can come sit on after we eat at Luke's if that makes you happy."

"Oh…this'll be the last time we eat at Luke's."

"Mom…I won't be gone that long."

"That's the last time you'll lie to make me feel better."

"I'll call you from Iran and lie if you'd like?"

"That's the last time you're going to make a smart-ass comment to me!" She pouted her lip and her eyes welled.

"Mom…I love you, but you have to let go."

"What are you talking about? I am as detached from you as Clinton is from Monica." A moment of Lorelai's pouted-lip silence passed and she scooted Paul Anka over to lie next to Rory. "Don't go, Rory."

"Mom, I really want this. Please don't make me feel too guilty to go through with it." Lorelai got a hurt look on her face and placed her hand on her chest.

"Oh, Hun, no. I didn't mean for you to feel like that…I'm just worried. People die over there; people get hurt…they never come home. I just don't want you to be one of those people."

Rory leans over Paul Anka and gives Lorelai a hug.

"I promise I'll be safe, Mom."

They embrace for several minutes when Lorelai puts a hand to her face to wipe her eyes.

"Okay," Lorelai pulls away, "Sappiness over, let's eat!"

The familiar sound that both Rory and Lorelai loved rang above them as they entered Luke's. Luke looked up and immediately smiled. He dropped his cleaning rag on the counter and walked up to kiss Lorelai. They both wore platinum wedding bands and had for a year. They had their wedding on the gazebo, after being persuaded by Ms. Patty and Babette, and numerous "anonymous" letters with handwriting similar to Kirk's.

Lorelai and Rory sat at the table they had sat at for years; and preceded to "peruse" the menu.

"I wonder what I'll have…" Lorelai mocked while looking at the menu.

"I wonder what _I'll _have…" Rory followed her mother in the mocking.

"You two do this every time!" Luke raised his voice in mild anger.

"There's just so much to choose from." Lorelai smiled looking towards Rory.

"I know…waffles…pancakes." She looked at the menu weighing the options.

"You better choose soon, because it's busy. We're likely to run out." Luke said talking fast and brief, like he does when he's angry with Tailor.

"I think you'll just have to come back…" Lorelai said frowning while still "looking" at the menu.

Luke walked away but was quickly bombarded with shouts from behind.

"Bring pancakes!"

"And coffee!"

"And muffins!"

"And coffee!"

"And donuts!"

"And coffee!"

Even though Luke was angry he smiled looking at the table. He couldn't help but be happy. He finally had the woman that he loved and an amazing stepdaughter.

"So this is exciting…huh?" Lorelai asked Rory who was busily texting on her sidekick.

"Yeah..." Rory said not really paying attention to what her mother was saying.

"So…" Lorelai obviously had something on her mind but she wasn't giving it up.

"So…" Rory said still not listening.

In an exhausted attempt to get Rory's attention Lorelai threw her hand over her head and fell on the table. Rory didn't even notice.

Lorelai sat up and addressed the issue. "You know this means I'll be going to Friday night dinners _alone_." She said with special emphasis on the word alone.

Rory set down her phone. "Mom, ever since I went to Iowa you've been going to Friday night dinners alone. You're a big girl, you can handle it."

"Not true. When you started working at The Hartford Courant you still came to dinner."

"Yeah, but…that didn't count."

"Ah ha!" Lorelai pointed in Rory's face. Rory shoved her finger away.

"It's not nice to point." Luke brought out their food and cups of coffee

"You're just mad I proved you wrong."

Rory hadn't responded because she was busy on her phone again. Lorelai couldn't help but wonder who she'd been talking to all morning. She bit into her waffle and got the courage to ask her.

"So…who?" She pointed to Rory's phone with a fork in her hand.

"Oh…uh, Logan. I just wanted to see how things are in California."

"Really…how is he?" Lorelai tried not to sound too interested, and surprised.

"Engaged…happy." Rory frowned. She had dated other people since Logan. But he was still a big part of her life she hadn't been able to completely forget.

"Don't worry, Hun. There'll be others." She patted her daughter's arm.

"I know…it's just, different…that's all." She sipped her coffee and hoped her mother would change the subject.

"So…what's your first assignment when you get to Iran?"

"I don't know. Get picked up from the airport…? I haven't been informed yet."

"You mean those crazy guys at CSPAN are going to let my precious offspring travel aimlessly around Iran?"

"No…I'm supposed to be shown around by a diplomat."

"Ah…a _diplomat_…how very regal."

Rory rolled her eyes and drank more coffee. Two things she inherited from her mother. Sarcasm, and her love of coffee.


	2. You Can Call Me Bob

A/N: Sorry this chapter is kind of short. But Bob makes an appearance! And I promise the chapters will get longer, I'm still trying to get it going. Thank you for the reviews, and please continue.

She tried listening intently to the speaker at the podium, but she couldn't help but be distracted. This guy writing on a notepad kept sneaking glances at her across the crowd. He was dressed in a black polo and Chucks. He didn't appear to be the typical penny-pinching report judging by the brand of his shirt, yet something about him suggested he'd rather not flaunt his money.

She never liked it when guys played these games. She just liked people to be upfront and honest. But she was still shooting him glances back. And every time she tried to throw him a withering glare to show him just how much she was annoyed with him gawking, and he'd smirk as if her attempts were funny. It really bothered her that she had no affect on him other than making him laugh. His laughter made her try even harder, and her attempts made him laugh even more. Rory gave up and tried devoting her full attention to the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but she kept getting distracted by the gawking guy. She really needed to pay attention because she was supposed to do a live CSPAN video-feed after the press-conference, and needed to look over her notes, but he kept distracting her.

"Mr. President? Are you afraid of the US's reaction to the third nuclear power plant you have built?"

"Hardly not. There was no reaction we when declared we were producing nuclear power for the first time, and I don't anticipate one now."

"Mr. President?" _It was the gawker guy!_ Rory though. _He must be a reporter,…he's asking questions._ "Do you plan on using your nuclear power plant against the US?" The whole crowd was silent, except for the reporters remarking to their tape recorders about the question just asked.

"I have been accused for having other intentions than nuclear power. I will tell you this again. I have no desire to harm another nation. That is all the questions I will answer for now. Thank you." The president walked offstage as people screamed finally questions and flashed their cameras. Rory noticed the mystery guy lingering around the room and she decided to ask him why he had the urge to look at her the whole conference.

"Excuse me." She said walking up to him.

He pointed to himself, and looked around. "Me?"

"Yes, you. Whoever you are."

He extended his hand. "Robert Wall. But people I like call me Bob…so _you_ can call me Bob."

"I'll pass…did you say Wall?"

"Ah, so you've heard of me."

"No. But I've heard of Rudolph Wall who founded the largest morning newspaper in Sweden."

"Oh, yeah. That's my great-grandfather." He smiled broadly.

"Oh…well how lucky you are." Rory rolled her eyes; his need to impress annoyed her.

"Oh am I detecting a hint of sarcasm, …sorry what's your name?"

"Rory Gilmore."

"Oh, well am I detection a hint of sarcasm, Rory Gilmore?"

"Possibly. Why did you keep looking at me the whole press-conference?"

Robert smirked, "Because you're nice to look at."

"You don't even know me."

"I don't have to read your memoirs to know that you're good looking. Plus you came up to me without knowing who I was."

"I just want to know why you were looking at me."

"You just want me to tell you that you're gorgeous."

"Excuse me?"

"Why else would you come up here and ask me why I was looking at you?"

"Because it was annoying and I wanted to know why you kept doing it." Her folded arms showed anger with Robert, and aggravation because he had confused her.

"Because I was deciding on a way to ask you out."

Rory was silent.

"So how about it?"

"It depends…" Rory said looking at the ground.

"On what?"

"Well, where we go, for instance. Or when this hypthetical date would take place."

"How about I surprise you, and tonight."

"Yeah, but I don't even know you." She was unsure if she could trust him or not.

"So take tonight as a chance to get to know me." He took out his notepad and scribbled something down, then handed it to Rory. "Tell me where you're staying and I'll come pick you up. That is…if you accept?"

She looked at the piece of paper that had his number written on it, and then back at him. She sighed. "Yeah…I-…I guess. I must be crazy, but I guess."

"Great, I'll see you later tonight, Rory." He smiled and walked away, and Rory's stomach fluttered. She could not believe just accepted a date from a complete stranger. She kept telling herself she was nuts but she also kept thinking she would be alone forever if she didn't take chances every now and then. Plus, Robert didn't seem terribly bad. He was slightly over confident, and a little pompous, but overall he seemed fairly decent.


	3. Charming, I'm sure

AN: Okay, here it is. I've been working on this for awhile, and I have to say its not the best…but its pretty informative. It will get better though.

She had carefully selected every aspect about herself tonight. She chose the white cotton dress with a slight v-neck, which fell right above her knees, so she would come off as modest. She had chosen to set her bangs away from her face, so she could be seen as serious. She chose the light green flats, which matched the bag she had only picked because it fit her copy of _The Tipping Point_, because Robert hadn't specified if they would be walking when she called to give him her address. And finally, she had chosen to call her mother and inform her of the evening after she called Robert. It was a phone call that upset her because she missed her mom. She missed her small town and its comforts, and she really missed having a safe job like the Hartford Courant.

But Rory had decided to put those feelings behind her tonight. She was focusing on the possibility of something new and exciting, something mature and stable. She was hoping tonight would turn into the start of something that got her out of the funk she had been in lately.

She was nervously awaiting the arrival of Robert while sitting on the hotel bed. She took out her book and flipped through the pages. She gave up trying to read and settled in the chair across from her bed. She sighed tapping the armrest; nothing was more nerve-wracking than the moments before a first date. Finally, the long awaited knock came on her door.

She rose, grabbed her bag, and opened the door.

"Ready, Gilmore?"

"Uh…yeah, I think so." She smiled at the nickname. No one, except for Paris Geller, had ever really called her Gilmore. "So…Robert, are you ever going to reveal your mysterious plans?" Rory asked as they left her room, and walked down the hall.

"Well, I would tell you, but then-"

"You'd have to kill me?" Rory finished his sentence.

"No…" He looked at her with a mock-sense of shock. "The surprise would be ruined." He smirked as they left the hotel and entered the parking garage. He unlocked his car, and opened the door for Rory.

Rory stepped in and buckled her seatbelt, "So a Yaris?"

"Mhm." He looked at her before pulling out of his parking space.

"Why?"

"They're nice cars. They get good gas mileage, they're affordable, and they're just practical."

"If you say so…" Rory teased. She turned to face him as he drove through the garage, looking for an exit. "So are you ever going to tell me where we're going…or are you just going to torture me all night?"

"You'll see." Was the only hint he dropped as they pulled into the heavily populated streets of Tehran. While Rory marveled at the sights around her, Robert observed. He noticed she soaked up every aspect of the scenery around her, beautiful or not. Robert had never met anyone like her. She liked being smart, she like being herself. She didn't dumb herself down to appeal to anyone; she wasn't "fake" and obsessed about superficial things. She was a real person, and he found that refreshing.

Robert pulled up in front of an outdoor café.

"This is the surprise?" Rory eagerly asked.

"Well, part of it, yes." He looked at her, amused.

"It's…charming." Rory smiled, observing the restaurant before her.

"Charming?" He smirked at her reply.

"Yes…charming. The wicker chairs, round tables, umbrellas, little garden, it's all…charming." She justified her reply.

"If you say so." She smiled at him for using her own words. He opened her door and took her hand to help her out of the car. They walked to the hostess's both and were seated. The waitress gave them coffee and menus.

"So…what do you want to talk about?" Robert asked, as Rory sipped on the drink she had just been handed.

"Well, let's start with you." She said, setting her coffee down.

"Alright, what would you like to know?" He sat back in his chair.

"The basics?" Rory asked, setting her hands in her lap.

"Well, you know my name is Robert Wall. You also know that my great-grandfather was the founder of the largest daily in Sweden. My Dad was born and raised in Sweden, as was his father, and his father before that. My mother; however, is originally from New York, and met my dad studying abroad." He smiled thinking about his parents. "My mom married my dad after she graduated and she came to live in Sweden with him. They had me, and we moved back to New York for a couple of years, because my mom was tired of being away from "home". Then we moved back and I was raised in Sweden, spending summers in New York with my mom's family. I attended various private schools, changing only because my parent's wanted the best for me. After high school I went to NYU just like my mom, majored in journalism." He took a deep breath. "After college I was offered a position at the family paper, by my father, which I turned down. That disappointed my parents, but they eventually got over it and decided to support me choosing to work my way up in the world on my own. So I spread my wings and stayed in New York, choosing to write for The Observer."

"The curiously pink newspaper?" Rory interjected.

"Yes, Henry Rollins." He laughed.

Rory laughed, "If you don't mind me asking…" She asked seriously, and Robert waved her to continue, "Why did you get all that up? I mean…I know why…but what are your reasons?"

"Same as every other person with rich parents, I guess…I just don't like things being handed to me."

Rory nodded, understanding how it felt exactly.

"So…tell me about you, now."

Rory shrugged, "Well, my parents aren't as conventional. My mom and dad met in high school, my mom had me at sixteen. She grew up in a privileged household, and she always had a rocky relationship with her parents. When she had me ran away from her parents to work at an inn. Which, she used to manage, but now she owns her Inn, with her best friend Sookie. My parents never got married until a couple of years ago, but that didn't work out. Now my mom is back with her boyfriend, well now her husband, they were engaged, but that was complicated…and then she and my dad married." Robert's eyes were wide. "I know…I lead a soap opera life." Rory joked feeling a little self-conscious.

"No…I didn't mean that…you talk really fast."

"Oh, yeah…another thing I get from my mom."

"Another…?"

"Yeah. My mom and I have always been really close, and really alike. I guess it has to do with her having me so young, but the alike part…I'm just lucky."

"Must be nice to have that."

"You're not close with your parents?"

"No…I am now, but not when I was younger. We had completely different views of were I was going in life." Rory nodded, she also knew how that was. "So. Tell me about you this time, not your mom."

Rory smiled. "Well, I attended Chilton for high school. I had always dreamt of going to Harvard, but my Grandpa's alma mater was Yale…and he set me up with an interview, and that changed what I thought, and I decided to go to Yale. There I majored in Journalism, as well. I worked on The Yale Daily New, and was editor my senior year."

"Impressive." Robert interrupted.

"Thank you. After I graduated I went to work for an online magazine covering Barack Obama's campaign trail, and that lead to me getting a job at the Hartford Courant…where I worked until I got an offer to be a foreign correspondent for C-SPAN."

"Very impressive."

"Thank you." Rory blushed.

"So, this was fun." Rory said in front of her door.

"Fun enough to repeat?" Robert asked.

"I'd say so." Rory smiled nervously.

"Well…Goodnight, Gilmore." Robert said leaving her at her door. Rory furrowed her brow, and entered her room.

Sitting on her bed she dialed her mother.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Oh, hey, you. How was the date?"

"Good…I guess."

"You guess?"

"He didn't kiss me."

"I'm sorry…"

"No. I don't mean like he didn't throw himself at me…I just meant he didn't kiss me…like goodnight kiss me."

"Well, Hun, maybe he's a gentleman."

"He told me I was nice to look at."

"Tonight?"

"No. At the rally, remember."

"Oh…right, right. Well, maybe he just wants to take things slowly."

"I guess…"

"Rory, my beautiful child, this boy likes you. From everything you've told me, he likes you. Don't stress over this…just because he didn't kiss you doesn't mean he doesn't want to. Trust me on this."

"Well…I guess…I mean he did seem to be having a good time."

"Really," Lorelai smiled. "…What'd you guys do?"

"Well, we went to this _charming _little outdoor café-"

"Why the emphasis on charming?"

"What?"

"You said, "this _charming _little café."

"Oh…well it was just this joke…I called it charming, he laughed and used something I'd said earlier against me…"

"Aw, you already have your own joke."

"Shut up."

"Ow," she paused for dramatic effect. "…Okay, continue with your story."

"Well, like I was saying…we went to this café, and we talked pretty much the whole time. He told me that his dad is Swedish, and his mom from New York and the met when she was studying abroad and then got married. And he was raised in Sweden, but they moved to New York, then back to Sweden, and he visited New York during summers, and that's why he doesn't have much of an accent."

"You bagged the Swed."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, never mind. So it sounds like you like him…?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Well, I'm happy for you, hun. However, I know have to go to Friday night dinner…and I'm dragging Luke along."

"Poor, Luke."

"Yes, well this is what he gets for making me eat a salad for lunch."

"Well, have fun." Rory teased.

"Oh, you're mean."

"Bye, mom."

"Bye."

Rory sighed. It had been a good date, no matter what her insecurities let her think. She could tell Robert was a good guy, so far. And she really did like him. She couldn't help but keep a smile on her face…even though she was reading _The Sorrows of Young Werther._


End file.
